Nursing

Hegis Code 1203

The courses in nursing are designed for students who wish to major in nursing. Courses in health (Pharmacology and Nutrition) are open to non-nursing majors on a “space-available” basis. The program leads to the Bachelor of Science in nursing.

The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. For further information about CCNE accreditation status, contact: CCNE, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, D.C. 20036. Graduates apply to take the licensure exam for registered nursing (NCLEX-RN) upon satisfactory completion of the program.

Grade Point Average and Credit Requirement for Prospective Nursing Students

Students who intend to major in nursing must have successfully completed high school courses in biology and chemistry. Any matriculated student not meeting admission requirements to nursing must take a minimum of fifteen (15) credits at Mount Saint Mary College and achieve a GPA of 2.75 or better before applying for a change of major to nursing. Students without high school courses in biology and chemistry must take BIO 1110, General Biology or BIO 1030, Anatomy and Physiology 1, among the 15 credits required to change major to nursing.

Students have until July 20th of the year after the year of admission into the nursing program to complete

with a C or higher, complete PSY 1010 and SOC 1010, and to maintain a GPA of 2.75 or higher; this is required for all nursing students to continue on in the program. Students may not register for NUR or HLT courses if the prerequisites for the course have not been met.

Program Requirements for Nursing Major

General Education and Support Courses

Nursing students must complete a minimum of 120 credits including the following general education and support courses:

Note

Students must fulfill all college general education distribution requirements as stated elsewhere in this catalog. Liberal arts and science courses required for the nursing major may be used to fulfill general education requirements.

The following nursing and health courses are required for the nursing major

Note

Additional Information

All bachelor’s and master’s level programs at Mount Saint Mary College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and meet New York State Department of Education regulations.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) applicants to the nursing program at Mount Saint Mary College must be graduates of an accredited LPN program. Qualified LPNs are admitted to the single undergraduate nursing curriculum offered by Mount Saint Mary College. Students may be granted advanced standing after evaluation of college transcripts and satisfactory performance on proficiency examinations in nursing. Applicants should consult the School of Nursing for details of the requirements for advanced standing.

Nursing and Health Courses

Nursing students must attain a minimum grade of C in all natural science courses and C+ in NUR and HLT courses for the grade to apply toward nursing degree requirements. Please note that grades of C-, D+, and D will not be accepted for transfer credit into the School of Nursing. In order to enter into the 200 level nursing courses as nursing majors, all students must complete all required courses in Anatomy and Physiology and Chemistry with a C or better, pass

and maintain a GPA of 2.75 or greater to be in good standing within the School of Nursing. These courses must be completed by July 20 at the end of the first year of admission to either enter with a change of major (with space available) or for nursing majors to stay in nursing.

Nursing students may not register for NUR or HLT courses if the prerequisite for the course has not been met. Nursing students receiving less than the required grade of C in natural science courses and less than a C+ in NUR and HLT course must confer with their academic advisor and arrange to repeat such course as soon as possible.

Nursing students are permitted a maximum of one (1) NUR or HLT course repetition for the entire undergraduate nursing program. Any student who earns a grade of less than C+ (76 percent) in any NUR or HLT course may repeat the course one time. Such repetition may only occur once. If the student earns a grade of less than C+ in a second NUR or HLT course, the student will be dismissed from the nursing program. Students who fail the clinical or college laboratory component of a required NUR course will receive a grade of F for the final grade.

Clinical Nursing Course Requirements

Nursing students must demonstrate proficiency in clinical calculations each clinical semester. Such proficiency is a requirement for attending clinical learning experiences. Nursing majors enrolled in clinical nursing courses must have a current American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers course completion.

Students are also required to have a background check, an annual health exam with required PPD and immunization documentation including serum titers, flu vaccines, and drug testing. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the Hepatitis B series before beginning clinical courses; students who do not complete this immunization must sign a statement of declination. (The availability of clinical sites throughout the nursing program may be limited for any student without Hepatitis B series completion or flu vaccine.) All health forms must be completed and submitted to Health Services by July 1 each year. These requirements are subject to change or modification at any time.

Nursing Leave of Absence

All matriculated nursing students who are planning a leave of absence (LOA) for personal reasons that will cause an interruption of their required course work must complete and file a Leave of Absence form with the School of Nursing. All leaves must be approved by both the student’s academic advisor and the School of Nursing Chair. In order to return to the nursing program without academic penalty, the student must be in good academic standing, according to the nursing standards stated above, at the time of leave approval and the leave of absence should not exceed the time period of one year. In the event the LOA exceeds one year, the student will need to meet with the School of Nursing Chair and appropriate faculty to determine the possibility of readmission.

RN-BS Program

The Mount offers a Bachelor of Science in nursing program for registered nurses (RNs) that graduated from an accredited nursing program. Each nurse must hold a valid RN license in the United States. The RN-BS program is provided online, with minimal residency. There are 135 hours of clinical/preceptorship experiences in Community Nursing and professional development that is vital to the rigor and learning outcomes for any baccalaureate nursing program. These meet both NEw York State Department of Education and CCNE requirements for accreditation.

There is a three-day residency for Physical Assessment, where the nurse will work with faculty and other nurses in the Learning Center on campus to hone their knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward Physical and Health Assessment. On-campus housing will be available for a nominal fee those who require it.